Classifier box with a removable trap

ABSTRACT

A classifier device for separating heavy materials from a stream of water and lighter materials includes an upper deck above lower deck, each deck having entrance and exit sides. The exit side of the lower deck terminates in a plurality of apertures. An exit plate is disposed adjacent the exit side of the upper deck and elevated relative thereto. A trap compartment is disposed below the exit plate and receives a removable trap that has an open top side and a plurality of pipes that each have at least one fluidizing aperture and that are aligned with one of the apertures of the lower deck. A classification plate is included between the exit side of the upper deck and the exit plate for directing the larger light materials up and over the exit plate back into the stream of water. Smaller materials drop through the classification plate into the trap.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication 62/752,262, filed on Oct. 29, 2018, and incorporated hereinby reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to mining, and more particularly to an improvedfluid bed box classifier.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

The prior art is replete with classifier boxes and other gold capturingdevices that have a trap into which gold is deposited as water flowsthrough such a device. Often the trap of such devices becomes filledwith all matter of materials, some of which is valuable such as gold. Itis convenient to be able to quickly empty such traps into an inspectiontray, rinse out the trap, and then set-up the device again for use.However, such a process is cumbersome and results in much of the timebeing spent cleaning and rinsing equipment rather than collecting gold.

Accordingly, there is a need for a classifier box type invention thathas a removable trap that may be quickly removed, rinsed and re-insertedinto the device. Further, such a needed invention would be relativelyeasy to maneuver and utilize in a running stream of water, and would beparticularly effective at collecting gold or other valuable, heavy ores.Such a needed device would allow the user to see into its various areasto inspect the collection process at all steps. The present inventionaccomplishes these objectives.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present device is a classifier device for separating heavy solidmaterials, such as gold, from a stream of water and lighter materials,such as sand and rocks. The classifier device includes an upper deckdisposed above a lower deck in a scoop portion configured for placementin the stream of water. Each deck has an entrance side for receiving thestream of water, and an exit side. Each deck has raised sides to channelthe water therealong from the entrance side to the exit side.

The exit side of the lower deck terminates in a plurality of apertures.An exit plate is disposed adjacent the exit side of the upper deck andelevated relative thereto. Preferably the lower deck, upper deck, andexit plate are made from a transparent plastic sheet material, which maybe fixed together with a rigid metal corner bracket for example.Further, in some embodiments, the exit side of the lower and upper decksare narrower than the entrance sides of the lower and upper decks,whereby water exits the lower and upper decks at a greater pressure thanat the entrance to the lower and upper decks.

A trap compartment is disposed below the exit plate and is configured toreceive a removable trap slidably therein. The trap has an open top sideand a plurality of pipes traversing from an entrance side to an exitside thereof. Each pipe has at least one fluidizing aperture on a bottomside thereof. Further, each pipe is aligned with one of the apertures ofthe lower deck when the trap is retained within the trap compartment.

A classification plate is included between the exit side of the upperdeck and the exit plate. The classification plate is configured fordirecting the larger light materials up and over the exit plate and backinto the stream of water. Smaller materials are allowed to drop throughthe classification plate into the trap.

In use, with the classifier device in an aligned with the stream ofwater, a mix of materials are deposited onto the upper deck and washedby the stream of water along the upper deck to the classification platewhere larger, lighter materials are washed up and over the exit plateand smaller, heavier materials drop through the classification plateinto the trap. Water from the lower deck traverses under relatively highpressure through the pipes of the trap, some of which exits thefluidizing apertures to mix with the smaller heavier materials to allowthe heaviest materials to sink. The rest of the materials are washed outand over the open top side of the trap to exit into the stream of water.Upon collection of a sufficient amount of heavy materials in the trap,the trap is removed and emptied into an inspection pan (not shown),rinsed out, and re-inserted into the trap compartment.

Preferably the trap further includes a sealing cushion at a front endthereof, through which the apertures of the exit side of the lower decktraverse. As such, water traveling through the apertures is directedthrough the pipes of the trap and not therearound. Moreover, each pipemay extend forward by a distance sufficient to traverse the cushion andthe apertures of the lower deck.

The present invention is a classifier box type device that has aremovable trap that may be quickly removed, rinsed and re-inserted intothe device. Further, the present invention is relatively easy tomaneuver, handle and utilize in a running stream of water, and isparticularly effective at collecting gold and other valuable, heavyores. The present device allows the user to see into its various areasto inspect the collection process at all steps. Other features andadvantages of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing more detailed description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, theprinciples of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the invention as used in a streamof water;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view thereof, illustrating a trapcompartment with a removable trap omitted therefrom for clarity ofillustration;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of FIG. 3 with the trap included inthe trap compartment;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the trap;

FIG. 6 is a partial top plan view showing the trap before insertion intothe trap compartment; and

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of an alternate embodiment of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. Thefollowing explanation provides specific details for a thoroughunderstanding of and enabling description for these embodiments. Oneskilled in the art will understand that the invention may be practicedwithout such details. In other instances, well-known structures andfunctions have not been shown or described in detail to avoidunnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout thedescription and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and thelike are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to anexclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of“including, but not limited to.” Words using the singular or pluralnumber also include the plural or singular number respectively.Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below” and words of similarimport, when used in this application, shall refer to this applicationas a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. Whenthe claims use the word “or” in reference to a list of two or moreitems, that word covers all of the following interpretations of theword: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list and anycombination of the items in the list. When the word “each” is used torefer to an element that was previously introduced as being at least onein number, the word “each” does not necessarily imply a plurality of theelements, but can also mean a singular element.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a classifier device 10 for separating heavysolid materials 15, such as gold, from a stream of water 19 and lightermaterials 16, such as sand and rocks 16.

The classifier device 10 includes an upper deck 30 disposed above alower deck 20 in a scoop portion 40 configured for placement in thestream of water 19. Each deck 20,30 has an entrance side 50 forreceiving the stream of water 19, and an exit side 60. Each deck 20,30has raised sides 70 to channel the water therealong from the entranceside 50 to the exit side 60. The exit side 60 of the lower deck 20terminates in a plurality of apertures 80. An exit plate 90 is disposedadjacent the exit side 60 of the upper deck 30 and is elevated relativethereto. Preferably the lower deck 20, upper deck 30, and exit plate 90are made from a transparent plastic sheet material, which may be fixedtogether with a rigid metal corner bracket 170 (FIG. 3) and mechanicalscrew fasteners 175, such as a bolt and nut arrangement, rivets, or thelike, for example. Further, in some embodiments, the exit sides 60 ofthe lower and upper decks 20,30 are narrower than the entrance sides 50of the lower and upper decks 20,30, whereby water exits the lower andupper decks 20,30 at a greater pressure than at the entrance side 50 tothe lower and upper decks 20,30.

A trap compartment 100 (FIGS. 3 and 4) is disposed below the exit plate90 and is configured to receive a removable trap 110 slidably therein(FIGS. 5 and 6). The trap 110 may be slidably Filed: Sep. 19, 2019inserted into the trap compartment 100 in a direction 112 (FIG. 6). Thetrap 110 has an open top side 118 and a plurality of pipes 120traversing from an entrance side 111 to an exit side 119 thereof. Eachpipe 120 has at least one fluidizing aperture 125 on a bottom side 122thereof. Further, each pipe 120 is aligned with one of the apertures 80of the lower deck 20 when the trap 110 is retained within the trapcompartment 100.

A classification plate 130 (FIG. 2) is included between the exit side 60of the upper deck 30 and the exit plate 90. The classification plate 130is configured for directing larger lighter materials 16 up and over theexit plate 90 and back into the stream of water 19. Smaller heavymaterials 15 and smaller lighter materials 16 are allowed to dropthrough the classification plate 130 and into the trap 110.

In use, with the classifier device 10 in and aligned with the stream ofwater 19, a mix of heavy and lighter materials 15,16 are deposited, suchas in a downward direction 17, onto the upper deck 30 and washed by thestream of water 19 along the upper deck 30 to the classification plate130 where larger lighter materials 16 are washed up and over the exitplate 90 and smaller heavy materials 15 and smaller lighter materials 16drop through the classification plate 130 and into the trap 110. Waterfrom the lower deck 20 traverses under relatively high pressure throughthe pipes 120 of the trap 110, some of which exits the fluidizingapertures 125 to mix with the smaller heavy materials 15 to allow theheaviest materials 15 of the heavy materials 15 to sink. The rest of thesmaller heavy materials 15 and smaller lighter materials 16 are washedout and over the open top side 118 of the trap 110 to exit into thestream of water 19. Upon collection of a sufficient amount of heavymaterials 15 in the trap 110, the trap 110 is removed and emptied intoan inspection pan (not shown), rinsed out, and re-inserted into the trapcompartment 100. A second trap 110 may be used in the classifier device10 while the first trap 110 is being emptied and rinsed, allowing foreven greater collection efficiency.

Preferably the trap compartment 100 further includes a sealing cushion140 (FIG. 3) at a front end 102 thereof, through which the apertures 80of the exit side 60 of the lower deck 20 traverse. As such, watertraveling through the apertures 80 is directed through the pipes 120 ofthe trap 110 and not therearound. Moreover, each pipe 120 may extendforward by a distance 160 sufficient to traverse the sealing cushion 140and the apertures 80 of the exit side 60 of the lower deck 20.

FIG. 7 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the invention, wherein thesides 70 are fastened with the upper deck 20 with the corner bracket 170and an adhesive (not shown). Further, chain 190 can be included tosecure the mechanical fasteners 175 to the classifier device 10 toinhibit misplacing the mechanical fasteners 175 when disassembling theclassifier device 10 for cleaning, transporting, storing, or the like.

While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it will be apparent that various modifications can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except asby the appended claims.

Particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspectsof the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology isbeing redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics,features, or aspects of the invention with which that terminology isassociated. In general, the terms used in the following claims shouldnot be construed to limit the invention to the specific embodimentsdisclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Descriptionsection explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope ofthe invention encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but alsoall equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention.

The above detailed description of the embodiments of the invention isnot intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the preciseform disclosed above or to the particular field of usage mentioned inthis disclosure. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, theinvention are described above for illustrative purposes, variousequivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention,as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. Also, the teachingsof the invention provided herein can be applied to other systems, notnecessarily the system described above. The elements and acts of thevarious embodiments described above can be combined to provide furtherembodiments.

All of the above patents and applications and other references,including any that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, areincorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the invention can bemodified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions, and conceptsof the various references described above to provide yet furtherembodiments of the invention.

Changes can be made to the invention in light of the above “DetailedDescription.” While the above description details certain embodiments ofthe invention and describes the best mode contemplated, no matter howdetailed the above appears in text, the invention can be practiced inmany ways. Therefore, implementation details may vary considerably whilestill being encompassed by the invention disclosed herein. As notedabove, particular terminology used when describing certain features oraspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that theterminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specificcharacteristics, features, or aspects of the invention with which thatterminology is associated.

While certain aspects of the invention are presented below in certainclaim forms, the inventor contemplates the various aspects of theinvention in any number of claim forms. Accordingly, the inventorreserves the right to add additional claims after filing the applicationto pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects of theinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A classifier device for separating heavymaterials from a stream of water and lighter materials, the classifierdevice comprising: an upper deck disposed above a lower deck, each deckconfigured for placement in the stream of water, each deck having anentrance side for receiving the stream of water and an exit sideopposing the entrance side, each deck further having raised sides tochannel the water therealong from the entrance side to the exit side,the exit side of the lower deck terminating in a plurality of apertures,each of the apertures of the exit side of the lower deck facing at leastthe entrance side of the lower deck, the upper deck being furtherconfigured for receiving the heavy materials and the lighter materialsthereon such that the heavy materials and the lighter materials arecapable of being washed by the stream of water along the upper deck tothe exit side thereof; an exit plate disposed adjacent the exit side ofthe upper deck and elevated relative thereto; a trap compartmentdisposed below the exit plate and configured to receive and retain aremovable trap slidably therein, the trap having an open top side and aplurality of pipes traversing from an entrance side of the trap to anexit side of the trap, each pipe having at least one fluidizing apertureon a bottom side thereof, each pipe further having an inlet openingfacing and being aligned with one of the apertures of the exit side ofthe lower deck when the trap is retained within the trap compartment,each pipe configured for allowing the water from the exit side of thelower deck to traverse through the pipe under pressure when the trap isretained within the trap compartment, with some of the water exiting theat least one fluidizing aperture; a classification plate inclinedbetween the exit side of the upper deck and the exit plate, theclassification plate configured for directing larger lighter materialsof the lighter materials up and over the exit plate and back into thestream of water, and for allowing smaller lighter materials of thelighter materials and smaller heavy materials of the heavy materials todrop through into the trap compartment and into the trap when the trapis retained within the trap compartment, with at least some of thesmaller lighter materials and at least some of the smaller heavymaterials in the trap being allowed to wash out and over the open topside of the trap to exit back into the stream of water.
 2. Theclassifier device of claim 1 wherein the trap compartment includes asealing cushion at a front end thereof through which the apertures ofthe exit side of the lower deck traverse, whereby water travelingthrough the apertures is directed through the pipes of the trap and nottherearound.
 3. The classifier device of claim 1 wherein the upper andlower decks, exit plate, and trap compartment are made with a pluralityof transparent plastic sheets, whereby a user can see through theplastic sheets to observe when the trap is full.
 4. The classifierdevice of claim 2 wherein each pipe of the trap extends forwardly beyondthe entrance side of the trap by a distance sufficient to traverse thesealing cushion when the trap is retained within the trap compartment.5. The classifier device of claim 2 wherein each pipe of the trapextends forwardly beyond the entrance side of the trap by a distancesufficient to traverse the sealing cushion and the apertures of the exitside of the lower deck when the trap is retained within the trapcompartment.
 6. The classifier device of claim 1 wherein the exit sideof the upper and lower decks are narrower than the entrance sides of theupper and lower decks, whereby the water exits the upper and lower decksat a greater pressure than when entering the upper and lower decks. 7.The classifier device of claim 1 wherein the raised sides are attachedwith the upper deck and lower deck with a rigid corner bracket andadhesive.
 8. The classifier device of claim 1 wherein the raised sidesare attached with the upper deck and lower deck with a rigid cornerbracket and mechanical fasteners.
 9. The classifier device of claim 1wherein the exit plate is maintained in a fixed orientation relative toat least the upper deck.